Buffer for automobiles



G. A. LYON.

sufran rox Auromoarles. AFPLIATIQN'FILEP OCT. 5. |917.

Patented D60. 23,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l G. A. LYON.

. BUFFER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5| ISI?.

Patel'lid Dec. 23, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lNvENT R A L ai V m To all nimm 'it 'may Concern.' i

GEORGE maar non, or PHILADELPHIA, rEngsYLvA'IA.

BUFFER ron AUTOMOBILES. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Dec. 23, 1 919.

Application led October 5, 1917. Serial o. 194,855.' 'i

lie. itknown that I, GEORGE ALBERT LYON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia,v State of Pennsylvania, havemade a certain new and useful Invention Relating to Buf-v -ters for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.`

The invention of this application, which is a continuation in part of my co-pending applications, Serial No. 877,887, filed De cember 18, 1914 and Serial No. 170,129, lilcd May 22, 1917, that is, contains subject-matter taken from these prior cases, relates especially t9 automobile buffers formed of. resilient strips' of steel or other inetal'whiclr are given an arched or bent cross-section to increase their stillness o1 resistance to bending in 'a horizontal direction' and also minimize relative vertical movement between engaging portions of such curved section strips. In this way-"some or all parts of the resilient strips mayr be stilfcned and 4 strengthened and in this Way preferably leaving flat the sharpest bends or end-portions where the bendingstresses are greatest a considerable savin in the weight of strips may be effected. he upper and also the lower edges of the front or impact receiv.

ing portions lot the spring strips may be backwardlv relieved or beveled to. render them relatively inconspicuous and may also be finished with a relatively nconspicuously colored protective coating as 'compared to th'A nickel plated front faces of the strips.

In the accompanying drawings which show in a somewhat diagrammatic way various illustrative embodiments of the invention,

Figure 1 Ford automobile.-

,,` Fig. 2 is a side view taken substantially along the line of Fig. 1.

along -the resilient buffer member which is shown aS imposed of a single spring strip,

is a plan view of a biifer and connected supporting device secured to a "Figf 8 `shows another form o buier .formed oil two connected spring stilps.

Fi 9 a side sectional View taken along the line 9--9 of/Fig. 8. l

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line/lO-lO of Figf8.

Fig. 11 is a plan view showing still ari'- otlier forni of buffer; and ,J Fig. 12 is an enlarged section taken along the line 12-12 of Fig. 11.

The resilient buffer shown in Fig. 1 comprises two spring strips 1 and 2 extending A transversely across the front of the automo.

bilevto form impact receiving members,` the end ortions (if-these stripsoverlappin and rei'n orcing one another and'being a justably held in desired Iposition by any suitable clips, such as ofthe' general construction shownin the Lyon Patent 1,198,246

of September'12, 1916, and'which-.may be tightened by' screwing up the bolts 18. The ends 19, 20 of these impact ,receiving meinbers are preferably arrafig d substantially in front of, the automobile, frame members 7 and the connected portions 3k may extend outward and backward from the doubled reinorced front portion of the butler so as to extend into protective position in ront of the vehicle wheels and form the open end loops 4 connected by the inwardly and rearwardly curving portions 5l to the attaching members or ends 6 of the strips. These attaching members may be connected to Ford automobiles by means of substantially rigid flanged extension supportin members which may comprise the angular orward portions 14 having as indicated `in Figs. -1 and 2 the v top flange 10 beneath which the attaching members 6 of the buie'r ma be removably but rigidly .secured as by t e bolts 15, see Figs. v2 and 4. vThe Irear end 11'of this e'xtension'supporting niembr may be similarly flanged over and to the frame 7 of the Ford or other automobile, suitable U-bolts or other connections 16 being, if desired, arranged to hold the' oentral part of this supporting member .to the front of the automobile frame' adjacent the bracket 9 of the lain .8. These connections may comprise a U-bo t l2 extending around the bottom of the lamp bracket and tightened in connection therewith as by the vnuts 16. The spring steel strips of which the buffer proper are composed mayas indicated have considerably' greater vertical width than thickness so as to make them relatively olted -or otherwise secured ico remedy,- eine non Y' i I 1;,11. i l rigid vertically'as compared .tot their resili- Arenrwardly extending attachingI meinbers y27 entiyieldingaction inhorizontaldirections,- lof the buiier may 'be given a,- similarly and-*in so'rne eases may advantegeouslyheveerched or bent cross-sections togivewln- 5 creased stiffness and strength against-.jh ifiarched cross-section, the convexv ornrched face 24 of -this strip being preferably f orwerdly arranged so that the buffer has a 70 Zontnl bending strains,A and if desired the n# .more finished and artistic n-ppearence.. t is,

tirestrips niayv'bel irst*rolled or "otherwise -ormed with such an archedor .convex s ection'- as is shown'in Fig'. '2 end then bent 'into'i 10 or otherwise -forli'ed '11p-t0 have the curved.' shapefshowirin pien in Fig; 1.f- In this way f "theiirche'd-oreonvex face 2 5-0f thesespring Strips whielr'me preferably'tempered after' 4hevirigg;- heembentintdnnl sha 3'e`- projects Y 15 forward in the front meniberso the bliifci 'andbac-kwordin -the rear (portions 5, the. whole bnfferbemgcorrespon ingly strength ',:Ln'ed 'and f stiiened in "its horizontal yieldof course,nncle1s tood that t c arched 'fornr of-'these spring strips shown inFis; 8 and 7 may be formed by suitable ben ing ma, chines` in. which the desired' parts of the ll5 strip are given this 'bent or arched crssfsee-v l tion.v

Fig. 8 shows :mother form of resilient spring strip buffer in which thefront or nn- Eact receivm member is given n. forwardly 80 owed orare ed ontline preferahly of unlforxn"'curvnture. `'The-'end portions 29, 30 of'the springr strips may overlap to,- form n l:ingfioctio'hy this'formiofjstri Varched reinforced impact receiving portion' and the .oaereseding' lattine@ spring section' f withth nrched 'or "curved face 'for-M' v ends'LiO, 41 of the stri )s may, if desired, ex- 85jI tend somewhat past t e 'rearwardly extendmg attaching members 28 of. the buffer for greater :stx'eengtli'.A These central im act re-' eeivng portions and also the outwa extenetsectionedi-strip"of, which theopen en d' loops 4 'aire for greater resilienceLfThe 96 'i'mvmdl'yv and rearwardly extending por tions 5 may be' forined of strips having-n. similarly arched orbent erosssection with the archedconvex fece-24 arranged in front 35 wardlft'grsdnlly-"xfiierge nto iit" see tiod.f' fasf'indicatedand this stiil'ened bent crossl 100 str1 siattheend gloopsfiiof the'buf'e, the; "seetion'mey cerise adjacent the ends.28' of these strips. softhet the attaching'- ends 28 which mayl in'some. ceses be bent upward more or less as indicated in Fig. 9 may be fiat to 'be moref readily attached to the frame 105 of an automobile by attaching bolts and c oy operating slots or' holes in the sittin-bilig members. as is lwell known in this ort.

mayfbe-gilxven si-si'inileil" lrelied 'crossLsec-- Aindicetedin-Figs, 9 and 10, the connecting 50 the' automobile or v'to as pporting nemb'e'r -Qfseenredthereto which may, 'if desired,'

have a similari concaved facetobe en d y the curvedY attaching when the F' egenerallv similsrlform of ri buier mule-offr one or clamping means may comprise clips 28 11.0 forgedor-cnst of malleable, material and'so .curved et theirinncr facesse: to accommodtevthesirched o'r crved-crnssv-section strips ranged so ns to extend :rearward and down-V ward and be tightened bythe bolt 3l so as to clainp the two spring strips together both horizontally and vertically, If the two spring strips 29, 3Q have the same hrched 120 these spring; Strips-'beveled lbackA ina rear` werdA irec'tion as indicated in Fgs.9 and 10, since this makes, this edgef-less visible iso as compared -to hav-ingit horizontal orf prominent as the buffer/is ordinarily s/@nare backwardlv relieved, cut away or bevrearwardly exten V'may have hat sectioned ends 35 whilethe eled toward the rear, the front or other curved faces of the strips maybe nickel plated. and polished or otherwise hi hly finished, which still further increases tI eir relatively prominent appearance, while? theV ed es`v of the strips' may be enameled o r painted in dark lcolors or inconspicuously finished in other ways at relatively little expense .as compared to grinding, nickel plating and polishing them. yIn some re spects, furthermore, the bui'er has a more pleasing and artisticappearance when the front face is made relatively "prominent and conspicuous as compared vto the edges, and in vthis case it is still more desirable to have backwardly beveled or cutaway edges to minimize abrasion or removal of the finish thereon; 4. y

Fi 11 shows another form of buier in whic the impact receiving. members overlap sofas to reinforce each other throughout a relatively great extent of the buffer' rnt and ifdesired this buffer mayfbe formed with a. forwardly bowed or arched' outline of substantially uniform curvature as shown. The impact receiving members 33, 3 4, of this forwardly curved .or bowedl outline may with advantage be given an arched or bent cross-section to stiiien' them against bending and render them 'coiil spondingly stron er wherea light weightl vspring strip oa out a quarter or five-sixteenths of an Ainch thick and two to two and a quarter inches wide, more or less, is used as is desirable .for the fore oing arched cross-'section spring strip bu ers for relatively light service. The forward strip or member 34 may have one end 37 adjacent the connecting clip or connecting means'39, whileits other end 47 may forni the outer end of the buffer on the other side. The'- rearward spring strip 3B may have one end 38 adjacent the opposite connecting clip 39 while'its opposite end 48 may extend in front of the vehicle ywheel on the other side. lf desired, these connecting clips may not only connect thetwo impact receiving members bptalso secure thereto the forwardly and outwardly curved' ends 36 'of the rearwardly attachingmembersgthe. eneral form otthesegclips bein shown in ig. 12. -The ging attaching members forwardly and outwardlycurving portions 5 of'fthese strips may be given an arched or bent cross-section with a convex front side as indicated. This arched or bent cross- 'section of 'the spring strips greatly facilitates the security and rigidityof 4their. at-

correspondingly' minimized. shown' in 'strips and also the'y lowerl edges, if? desired,,

may be backwardly'beveled-or cut away atl a decided angle so as'to make these"edges. .75

practically invisible whenthe' buffer is `looked at -from the front .and for'similar rominent the curvedor arched :front side` of the strip which may be nickel-platedor i otherwise highly finished and polished while the strip edges maybee'nameled or vvpainted in black or relatively inconspi'cuous colors.

closure the' invention isfnot'ficoursefto. be

limited, since what 'is claimed new.. and what 1s desired to be secured'rby .Letters vol Patent isset forth in the 4'gpp 'edefilclaims 1i' TheY automobile; 'buffeiifromprising two integral spring steel l,V strips; havinggreater vertical widththanthiclmess-tb render them relativelyrigid vertically ,[fwhile :more resiliently` yielding in horiiontal directions, each of, said strips having'lanattaching member to 'be' attachedftogthe automobile and having a transversely extending fim-` pact receiving member* of forwardly bowed outlinel= having substantially uniform .curvature and an intermediateffopen lend-'loop .to

be arranged in front ,0f they., ehicle wheel* and connecting means--adjustablyfonnecting said impact receiving members 'and holding them against relative vertical movement and forming overlapping membersto stiifenand-.strengthen this part of the buffer, said impact receiving members and the intermediate .portions f of said attaching' members having .v a: forwardly` arched crosssection..v to stiifen thesame:. against 4horizontal yielding and mmimize, relative' vertical movement between said .impact receiving members, said end loops Vbeing of 'substan tiallyfiat cross-'section to facilitate bending thereof.'l

`2. The4 automobile buffer comprising two integral spring steel strips'havmg- 'greater Y vertical width than thickness to render'gthem relatively rigid vertically while more resiliently yielding in .horizontal directions, each of said strips having an attaching member to be'attached to the automobile and having a transversely extending fimpact receiving member ofjorwardly bowed outline and 'an intermediate open end` loop tobc'arranged in frontof the vehicle wheel and connecting means adj ustably connecting said impact receivingjmembers and `holding them against memberandfaninterm :wardlyl arched `crossrelativel vertical movement fandI forming ovelappl '2 members'v to stiften and strengthlenthlspart of the buiier, said'ini-- diete portions ..'.o 'sldfratta'ching members having -a forn'ardly--archedl crass-sectionl 'to stifenthesame a alnst horizontal yielding and;A i minimize?` r ativer@ -vertical f movement between said'` impact receivingfmembers.

43, automobile buiiergcomprisingtwo 'steel.; s tri ps havi'ng 'greater vertical width than thiclc'ne'sfstojender them relatively rigid verticallywhile more resilify entlyzyielding in horizontal'v directions, e'aclr of said strips having an attaching memberto-be attachedto-the automobile and having a transversely. *extending impact .receiving memberandaninterm'e iate open end loop to lbearranged 1n `front of thevehicle wheel and connectingmeansadjustablyfconnecting said impact receiving members and .held-l ing them against, latxve @vertical indv'e'ment impactv receiving .membersg- `-width than thickness to `render-them,relaitivelly rigid;verticallymhilemore r :silien t'ly *yiel i 5 f3 be' attached? tojthe 'fautomobile and. having `a having a forwardly." arched crossfsec'tion to "'stenthe slame'fagainst horizontal'yielding and minimize relative vertical'movement betw'eensaidvixnpact receiving members, said end loops 'being of substantially'r-{lat crossi highly polished' forward faces.

spring-steel, 'strips L having greater vertical ng firiflhorizontal sdirections.. .each of said'strlpsf'havmgamattaching member to transversely entendinge.' impact s 'receiving member andan" intermediate lf'open endloop lto be arranged in front Vof the vehicle. wheel and connecting means-ffadjustably connecting said impact-receiving members andholding them against relative y:vertical movement and f ormingloverlappingmembers to stilen,

and strengt en this part'fof-the buierysaid impact receiving, members and. the intcr- `lmediate portions of saidfattachmg'members section to facilitate bending thereof:

yielding in horizontal directions, each -of said stri vlee-attac ed to the-automobile and having 5. The automobile buffer comprising two s ri Asteel stri s-havingjgreater vertical width than thic` ess to render them rela'- tvely rigid vertically while more resilientl)r having' an attaching member to a 'transversely extending impactfreceiving, e iate open end loopl g to be larrangedinffrontn'f the vehicle 'wheel and connecting fmea'nsadjustablyconnect- 4said impactireeeivmg members and hold! mmmen.

raam

impact receiving i members havin vaiidftnin'n overlapping members to stiien` i and strengt en this part of the buffer, said 3f Awardly 'arched crosssection t sti-tien the mize re ative 4vertical movement between said impact receiving members,'said* end loops bein ffsubs'tantiallyiat cross-section to` facilitate bendingthereof. i

6. The automobile bui vr 'comprising -two spring steel strips; having greater .Q'Yertcal.

widthzthan thickness amender themrelativelyf'rigid vertically whilelmore resiliently. yielding in horizontal directions, each.4 of said'strips'having an attachinginember to be attached to the automobile and .hafvi'xig a transversely extending impact receiving memberand an intermediate open end loop to be arranged in front ofthe vehicle wheel and connecting means adjustably= connecting said impact receiving members and holding them against relative vertical movement/and forming overlapping members to 'stiften' fand' strengthenl this part of the buffer, said iinpact receiving members havin arched crosssection to stiften the same agamst horizontal rol yielding and minimizev relative vvertical fg7. The automobile--buier' comprising a number of sprlng steel strips having greater vertical width than thickness to render them relatively'rlgld vertically while more resiliently yielding in 'horizontal directions, said strips comprising attaching members; tobeconnected to the automobile and transversely extending impact receiving members .of forwardly bowed outline having substantially uniform `curvature andco'nneeting clips encircling said impact receiving members and holding them against relative verticalmovement andiorl'ning overlapping members to stiften `and strengthen the central front part formed throughout their impact receiving members and engaging portions with a for- 8. The automobile buffer comlprising a number of spring steel strips havlng'greater vertical width than thickness to render them of the buffer, said'spring st eel strips being relatively rigid vertically while more ently yielding in horizontal'directions,saa strips comprising attachingmembers connected to the antoine ile and 'transversely extending impactreceiving members of forwardly bowed outline and connecting means engaging said impact receiving'members and holding 'tlifem against relativevertical movement and forming overlapping members' to Stfewn sensibel the, we:

"1,325,780] .l Y I' fs I i.

y tral front p nrt of the buffer, saidspring strips being formed throughout their impact receiving members and engaging portions witha forwardly arched crosssection` to stiil'enthein against horizontal yielding and' minimize -relative vertical movement thereof, such portions of said strips having bacio iA extending impact receiving members and connecting means engaging said impact ref eeifving members and adjustably holding them against relative vertical movement and forming overlapping members to s tiii'en and strengthen the central front 4part ofthe.

throughout their impact receiving members with afforwardly arched cross-section tog.

stiien them against horizontal yielding and -minimjize relative vertical movement there-` of and such portions of said strips having -backwardly beveled upper edges andfrelativelyprominent forward faces. 10. The automobile budei comprisiiiga number of spring steel strips having greater vertical-width than thickness to render them l relatively rigid vertically while more reding in' horizontal directions', l 1 said strips comprising attaching members to 1' -Y be connected to the automobile and tiaiis-.

versely extending impact receiving members' I and connecting means engaging said impactA receiving. members and adjustably holding them against relative vertical movement and forming overlapping members to stiilen and strengthen the central front part of the bufer, said .spring steel stri ps being formed throughout their impact receiving members with backwardly beveled upper edges and relatively prominent appearing forward faces.

l l1. The automobile buffer formed of spring steel strip having greater vertical width 'than thickness to render the saine yrelatively rigid vertically while more resiliently yielding in horizontal directions, said buffer comprising attaching members to be attached to vthe automobile and a transversely extending impact receiving member and intermediate open end loops having fiat section to facilitate bending to he located adjacent the automobile Wheels, said spring steel strip forming said impact receiving member having a forwardly arched, cross-section. to stiien the same against horizontal yielding and having a backwardly beveled upper edge and a relatively prominent appearing forward face.

The vautomobile 'buiier formed-of spring steel stri having greater vertical jacent the!"automobilef-'wlieelsg i said f spring steel strip'vx forming; iinpvac'tl "receiving f iwardly` arched cross.- Y

member lill-flying; 'al section ,-to Stiillftl horizontal Spring.' steel Qstri' 'Q having "greater vertical width At 1i`an" thic ;iiessf to renderthe 1saine relatively rigid vertically while more resiliently yieldingin` horizontal directions, said Se buffer comprising'attacliing'members to be v, attached :tg the aut'oiiiobilef;I and Qa; transbuffer, said spring steel strips being formed iger'scly v (nitendin'g impact receiving member n andsitcrmcdiateend loops be located adsteel vstrip g forming sa`.id:,Z impact'ffireceiving member :having aflgen't 'the Same-aaa t 'and having pact rece'ii'ingmeiii er a a ii open end looptobc arrai'iged in front of the vehicle wheel and connectingmeansadjustahly connecting saidt inipact'reeeiving -1054 members holding theinagainst relative vertical Vmovement4 .and forming overlapping members to stiffen and strengthen this part of thebii'fei; the upper edges of said impact receiving members and of the inter 110. mediate portions'of said Fatta-ching members' being backward] y ybeveled and covered with an incoiispiciiously colored "protective coating to minimize then' proininenceaiid the 'forward .faces vof .said impact. receiving 115 members being forwardly arched and nickel plated and polished to inaketlieir appear- :mee relatively' proniiiici'n't.. f

l5. The aiitoinobilebul'er coiiipiising tvvo integral spring steel strips having greatc; 120

\ 'i-.i'ti1.a] width than thickness to render them relatively rigid vertically while .more relsilientlyyielding in horizontal directions,

each of said strips having an attachinginembor to be attached `to the automobile and haring a transversely extending inipactii'ep coiving member and an intermediate open ond -loop to be arranged in front of the ve-` l hicle Wheel and coi'i'necfging nie-ans adjustably connecting .said impact receiving mein- 3 p l 1,: 325,73o i and-homie fhfn'-aa'agfaa ai@ tical movement and forming ovada pmg members being more strikingl finished to make their appearance relative y prominent.

y16. The aiitomobile buffer formed of' spring steel strip having great-er vertical 4'siliently yielding in horizontal directions,4 -said buil'er comprising attachinfIr members width than thickness to"i'eder the same relatively rigid vertically while more reto be connected to. the automobile and a transversely extending impact receiving member f'forwaldly bowed outline, said spring steel strip forming theforward iinpaet receiving member havinoY a forwardly archedcross-section to sti 'en the saine against. horizontal yielding, having 'itsupper and lower edges backwardly relieved and having a relatively prominent appearing hi hly polished forward face.

I7. he automobile buffer formed of spring steelstri having greater vertical width tlian`thic mess to renderV the same relatively rigid vertically While more resiliently yielding in horizontal directions,

said buffer'comprising attachin members 1 to be connected to the antonio ile and 'a ,Y transversely extending impact receiving member, said spring steel strip forming the forward vimpactwreceiving member, ving 'ing 'a relatively prominent appearing highly ished forward face.- 18. The' automobile bnifer formed .of= spring steel strip having greater vertical .width than thickness to'renderthe same relatively rigid vertically while more resiliently yieldingl in horizontal directions, 4S

said buffer comprising-attachin 'membersr 'to be'connected to the automo ile' andfa transversely extending impact receiving member, said spring steel strip forming the 'forward impact 'receiving member' having 50 its upper edges "backwardly relieved and having ga relatively prominent appearing i'irward face.

19. The automobile bufer formed of spring steel strip having. greater vertical 55 width than thickness to render the same .relatively rigid vertically while more resiliently yielding in horizontal directions, said -buffer comprising attachingmembers to be connected 'to .the automobile' and a 60A transversely 'extending .impact receiving member, s aid spring steel ystrip -forming the -t'orward impact receiving member havin its upper edges backwardly beveled 'an having a relatively prominent appearing 65 forward face. A

i 'I GEORGE ALBERT LYON. Witnesses:

HARRY L. DUNCAN, J Essie B. KAY.

` rdly bent' cros'sis'ection-to stiii'ei'i theV p sam. a members to. stiien and strengthen this part' of the buler, the upper edges of said im?" pact receiving members being backwardly" relieved to minimize their prominence and Athe forward faces of' said impact receiving gainst'liori'zotal yielding','havin its lipper'edg'es' backwardly relieved and av- 

